FM, NATO chief discuss cooperation

[3/6/2018 2:23:40 PM]

AMMONNEWS - Minister of Foreign and Expatriates Affairs Ayman Safadi on Tuesday discussed with NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg ways of boosting cooperation between the Kingdom and the alliance as well as the situation in the Middle East.

The foreign minister and the NATO chief stressed the importance of existing cooperation programs between the Kingdom and the alliance, and agreed to enhance political and defense ties and bolster their strategic partnership.

In a press statement after the meeting, the Foreign Minister reaffirmed the Kingdom's keenness to forge closer cooperation with NATO, enhance the strategic partnership and step up joint action to consolidate security and stability in the region.

Safadi also pointed out the importance of cooperation programmes between Jordan and NATO in boosting and developing defence capabilities.

The minister said that he discussed with the NATO chief developments related to the Palestinian issue, stressing its centrality and adding that finding a solution to it according to the two-state solution, that guarantees the setting up of an independent Palestinian state on the June 4, 1967 borders with East Jerusalem as its capital, is the only avenue to bring about regional security and stability.

He said that he also discussed with Stoltenberg the Syrian crisis, and reiterated that there will be no military solution to the conflict and that collective efforts were needed to find a political solution accepted by the Syrian people and based on UN Security Council resolution 2254 and through the Geneva process.

Safadi said ending the suffering of the Syrian people is a priority that must be achieved, referring to the "catastrophic" situation in Ghouta and the suffering of its people, which, he said, must stop through an immediate ceasefire.

Stoltenberg, for his part, stressed NATO's solid ties with the Jordan and the key role the Kingdom plays in achieving rgional security and stability as well as its role with international efforts to combat terrorism militarily, ideologically and in security terms.

He said the alliance wanted to strengthen cooperation with Jordan by promoting and upgrading cooperation, partnership and training programmes, noting that their relationship had been steadily developing since they began cooperation more than 20 years ago.

The NATO Secretary-General arrived in Amman from Baghdad as part of a regional tour. He said he held talks in Baghdad on the alliance's training programs and steps taken to expand them.